bbq

When the 18 legendary pitmasters from around the country descended upon Madison Square Park in June for the Big Apple BBQ Block Party, there was a sense that they were delivering smoky goodness to the residents of Gotham like some sort of Peace Corps of Pork aid program. In truth, when they departed at the end of the weekend, they left behind some might fine barbecue for Manhattanites to enjoy year round.

What if we told you that American barbecue, in all it’s vinegar sauce and smoldering post oak glory, could be explained in under a minute? Check out the video.

Texas barbecue is really a different species from the rest of their neighboring Southern sates. In the more pork-centric Southeast, beef usually only appears on the barbecue menu as a novel oddity in the form of a brisket dish thrown into the smoker along with the pork shoulders and short ribs. But in Texas, specifically the central section, brisket is king.